Sarah Versus the Big Easy
by Switters782
Summary: Beckman gets wind of Sarah's feelings for Chuck and puts Sarah on probation but gives her one last chance to redeem herself and prove she can protect Chuck. Begins after the events of vs. Santa Claus. Charah and a happy ending I promise!


A/N: I don't own Chuck or the characters etc.

[u]Sarah Versus the Big Easy[/u]

"[New Orleans] isn't all that big, and it was never all that easy." – unknown.

Chapter 1

"General Beckman, I understood my orders to be to protect the Intersect at all costs," Sarah said, nervously holding the General's gaze via the webcam in Castle.

"Those _are_ your orders, Agent Walker," the General replied. "That does not, however, allow you to take the law into your own hands. Lieutenant Mauser would have been more valuable us to alive than he is dead."

"With all due respect, General," Major Casey replied, "I do not believe Mauser would have talked. If he's as high up as he said he was, he probably would have been old school. He'd have taken a suicide pill before leaking any useful information to us."

"General," Sarah replied. "I had to act. He nearly broke several of my ribs. Just because he put his hands behind his head did not signal to me that he was no longer a threat."

"To you, or to the Intersect?"

"Both!" said Sarah, full of emotion.

"Hmph," said the General. " If you were in a position to kill him, you were also in a position to take him alive. This isn't the end of this, Agent Walker, but for now, you're dismissed. Agent Casey, I'd like a private word with you, if I may."

"Of course, General," Major Casey said as Sarah returned to the Orange Orange.

"Are we secure, John?"

Casey waited until he heard the Castle door close. "We're secure."

"What happened, John?" the General asked with genuine concern in her voice?  
"I was waylaid by some minor Fulcrum cretins, so I didn't get to see what happened.

"Did Lt. Mauser know Chuck was the Intersect?"

"Not at first, we don't believe. Mauser threatened Chuck's family and, although he couldn't tell Mauser where Bryce was, Chuck revealed himself."

"And where were you and Agent Walker while this happened?"

"I was shot in the foot. Mauser's henchman, Ned, who we captured alive, spoke to a hostage negotiator, who turned out to be Mauser, and negotiated the release of two hostages. I, being shot, and Sarah, being his 'girlfriend' were escorted out. It wasn't until we were outside that we realized that Ned did not call his wife as he said he did, but called Mauser instead."

"And can you give me one good reason not to bring the Intersect in to a secure facility."

"No, General, I can't," John sighed.

"I have one final question for you, Major, before I let you go."  
"Yes, General?"

"Agent Walker, has she been compromised?"

"Compromised?" Casey asked. "How do you mean?"

"What do you think I mean, Major? Has Agent Walker done anything or said anything that might affect her ability to do her job?"

"Yes…" he said hesitantly, "and no."

The General gave Casey a stern look. "Would you care to be a little less cryptic, Major?"

* * *

Casey had just finished moving a forty-two inch television with surround sound system and was enjoying the envy of Morgan when his phone rang. It was Sarah.

"Ugh, I'm going to have to take this," Casey said. "Excuse me." Holding the receiver a foot away from his ear, he hit "accept."

"I'M ON PROBATION BECAUSE OF YOU!" she screamed.

"Sorry, jilted lover," Casey said to the myriad of stares from his coworkers.

"Now, honey, calm down. I know it's going to be difficult but it's for the best," he said into the phone, nodding to Jeff and Lester as if he was taking control of the situation.

"For the BEST?!?" Sarah growled.

"Look the General asked me if I thought you were compromised," Casey said as quietly as he could once he was out of everyone's earshot.

"And what did you tell her?" Sarah asked, still furious.

"I gave her my honest assessment."

"Which was?!?"

"Yes…and no."

"This is _not_ the time for jokes, John Casey. I'm lucky I'm just on probation and that the General is only going to make slight modifications to our mission. I could have been fired!"

"Sarah, will you listen to…" John began, but was cut off.

"Listen to you?!? What could you _possibly_ have to say that I would be interested in hearing. What light could you possibly shed on the situation that would make this better?"

"I _do_ believe that you can protect Chuck," John said simply.

Sarah's jaw dropped and she listened to the sound of her heart pound in her chest.

"Then _why_, John, would you tell the General…?" Sarah asked, close to tears.

"What I told her was that you had feelings for Chuck that could end up putting _you_ in danger. You can't protect Chuck if you're dead. I know you hate me now, and with good reason. I have hope that when all is said and done, you'll know I was looking out for you," Casey said, and ended the call.

"Everything okay?" asked Chuck as Casey returned to the floor of the BuyMore.

"Yeah. It was my ex-girlfriend," Casey said. "We broke up, obviously and, as you can probably tell, she didn't take it too well."

"Aww, that's too bad, Casey. Did you let her down gently?"

"Hmph. I let her understand the way things work in the world. Sometimes tough love is the only way, Bartowski," Casey smirked and walked off.


End file.
